Ousted Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak looks towards his supporters during celebrations of the 43rd anniversary of the 1973 Arab-Israeli war, at Maadi military hospital on the outskirts of Cairo, October 2016 - REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany

Cairo court abolish LE 540M fine for Mubarak, Adly and Nazief

CAIRO – 24 March 2018: Supreme Administrative Court affiliated with State Council announced on Saturday the abolition of its previous judicial ruling of fining ousted President Hosni Mubarak, his Interior Minister Habib al-Adly, and then Prime Minster Ahmed Nazief of LE 540 million as compensation for cutting off communications during the January 25 revolution.

The cutting of all three privately owned mobile networks, and internet providers, operating in Egypt during the revolution caused a massive wave of rage among Egyptians who demanded compensation, and accused the three companies of cooperating with the former regime against the revolutionaries.

In May 2011, Egypt’s Administrative Court charged Mubarak, Adly and Nazief with paying LE 540 million as compensation due to the damage caused to the national economy as a result of the cuts.

In a lawsuit that was originally filed to the court in 2011 by lawyer Mohamed Abdel Aal, Mubarak was to be fined LE 200 million, Adly LE 300 million, and Nazief, LE 40 million, bringing the total fine to LE 540 million.

Many trials took place against Mubarak and a number of officials and businessmen of his era shortly after the revolution, but most of them ended in reconciliation with the government after paying back significant amounts of money. As for Mubarak, he was acquitted of all charges against him.

Last July, Spanish-Egyptian businessman Hussein Salem arrived in Cairo from Spain, after he reached a reconciliation agreement with the government. Salem stood accused of profiting from his relationship with Mubarak, and exporting gas to Israel for less than the global price for personal gain.

On May 18, Cairo Criminal Court acquitted Salem in the retrial of his case of exporting gas to Israel. The Egyptian authorities had announced that they were willing to conciliate with Salem if he was willing to give up 75 percent of his properties, which are worth a value exceeding EGP